The First Annual BUV Design Competition was a definite success.  The students, judges, volunteers and fans enjoyed the day and the rain ceased after the first event.  The students were impressed with the rugged course and the beautiful setting (donated by Harvest Prayer Ministries).  The course was muddy, rugged, overgrown, and impeded.  This was a good simulation for the lack of infrastructure found in rural areas of developing countries.  Despite a rigorous series of events, there were no vehicle breakdowns.

 The events of the day included a safety inspection, specification check, endurance test, judges driving circuit, hill climb, acceleration & brake test, trail making event, creek crossing, ditch crossing, and the timed slalom course.  The students' favored the creek-crossing event and the timed slalom course, whereas the judges were partial to the Judges Driving Circuit.  Each event had a purpose.  For example, the Trail Making Event was to see if brush and weeds get tangled in the machinery.  Students from first place Auburn University and runner-up Lafayette College were awarded free tickets to the Indianapolis 500 Race on the following day (compliments of Borg Warner Automotive).

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